Not every tight truck market is an intermodal opportunity. The Midwest deserves a closer look.

National truck tender rejections were 13.75% on October 9, but the regional picture tells a more useful story: the Midwest reached 18.61%, with van freight contributing to the pressure. Meanwhile, U.S. intermodal volume grew 7.4% in the latest reported week. For 3PLs, the opportunity is to qualify repeat, long-haul dry-van freight before the customer has a capacity problem.

“Which repeat Midwest lanes are getting harder to cover by truck?”

FreightWaves reported Midwest tender rejections of 18.61% on October 8, with van rejections near 15%. That is a more useful dry-van signal than the Northwest’s 20.27% regional reading, which is largely driven by harvest-season refrigerated freight. Start with repeat long-haul dry-van loads, not the loudest headline. Source

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“Are your customers seeing truck rate pressure without a big freight boom?”

DAT’s October 6 report showed national dry-van spot linehaul at $2.25 per mile excluding fuel, up 33.5% year over year. Great Lakes origins averaged $2.59 and Ohio River $2.54. These are regional truck-market indicators, not intermodal quotes or proof of savings on any individual lane. Source

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“Could a second viable mode help you protect your customer’s service?”

AAR recorded 299,001 U.S. intermodal units for the week ending October 3, up 7.4% from a year earlier. A modal review can give 3PLs another workable option on the right freight, but ramp selection, dray capacity, equipment and transit requirements still determine whether rail fits. Source

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This Week’s 3PL Opportunity

Midwest / Great Lakes → repeat long-haul dry van

Look for recurring customer lanes where truck coverage is inconsistent and the customer has workable delivery windows.

Midwest tender rejections · Oct. 8

18.61%

U.S. intermodal · latest week

+7.4%

Great Lakes van linehaul / mi

$2.59

Sources: FreightWaves Oct. 10; AAR Oct. 7; DAT Oct. 6. DAT figure is a regional truck spot linehaul average excluding fuel, not a lane quote. Intermodal rates, capacity, dray, ramp choice and service must be confirmed.

Send John a Lane

Market Board

Where the signal is real — and where it is misleading.

299,001

U.S. intermodal units · week ending Oct. 3

13.75%

National truck tender rejections · Oct. 9

$2.25

National van spot linehaul / mile · excludes fuel

Midwest / Great Lakes → West / Southeast

Priority review: repeat dry-van freight, meaningful mileage and transit flexibility. Midwest van rejections are near 15%; DAT reports elevated Great Lakes origin pricing. This is a screening opportunity, not a promised rate advantage.

Atlanta / Dallas → Long Haul

FreightWaves reports domestic intermodal flows through Atlanta and Dallas up roughly 15%–20% year over year in its latest weekly observation. Atlanta terminal assignments changed October 5, so confirm the appropriate Inman or Austell path.

U.S. ↔ Canada

Review repeat cross-border lanes with the same total-cost discipline: rail linehaul, current tariff-specific fuel, ramps, dray, equipment, border documentation and customer transit requirements.

Northwest harvest / urgent refrigerated freight

Caution: Northwest rejections are dominated by seasonal reefer demand; regional van rejections were below 5%. Do not pitch this as a general dry-van-to-rail opportunity. Truck or specialized temperature-controlled service may remain the right choice.

Built for 3PL Partners

Your customer stays your customer.

LaserNet is designed to support, not compete with, the 3PL relationship. We work behind the scenes as the intermodal resource supporting your customer solution.

The 3PL maintains the customer relationship
LaserNet supports intermodal pricing and routing
LaserNet coordinates rail and dray as applicable
LaserNet provides shipment visibility and operational support

Add intermodal capability without adding another competitor.

Have a Customer Lane?

Send us the basics. We’ll help you evaluate the intermodal option.

Origin, destination, commodity, approximate volume, timing and any operating requirements are enough to start. We’ll review the realistic rail, ramp, equipment and dray options and tell you whether the lane deserves a closer look.

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Sources & context

Latest available figures as of October 12, 2026: AAR weekly rail traffic · Oct. 7; DAT dry-van report · Oct. 6; FreightWaves regional rejection analysis · Oct. 10; FreightWaves SONAR update · Oct. 9; Norfolk Southern Atlanta changes · Sept. 25. Regional averages are market signals, not lane-specific quotes. Equipment, service, dray and pricing must be confirmed before tendering.

The 3PL Partner Briefing is published every Monday by LaserNet Jax, a direct Intermodal Marketing Company with direct railroad contracts across CSX, Norfolk Southern, Union Pacific, CN and CPKC. Built specifically to help freight brokers and 3PLs identify intermodal opportunities for their customers. Market figures are sourced from AAR and DAT. Lane-specific rates and availability should always be confirmed before quoting.

Not every tight truck market is an intermodal opportunity. The Midwest deserves a closer look.

Midwest / Great Lakes → repeat long-haul dry van

Where the signal is real — and where it is misleading.

Your customer stays your customer.

Send us the basics. We’ll help you evaluate the intermodal option.

Get the 3PL Partner Briefing.